Towel cabinet structure



2 Sheets-Sheet l R. G. BIRR TOWEL CABINETSTRUCTURE Filed Jun'e 2o, 1945Aug. 19, 1947.

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Aug. 19, 1947. R. G. BIRR 2,425,916

- TOWEL CABINET STRUCTURE Filed June 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2:Kfer/eey.- I

Patent-ed ug. i9, 19457 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE 'XWEL CABINETSTRUCTURE Rudolph G. Birr, Lomb Steiner Sales Company,

a corporation of Utah Application `lune 20, 1945, Serial-No. 600,622

(Cl. S12- 38) 7 Claims. l

This invention relates -to improvements in toweling dispensingstructures and has as an important object to provide means by which therolls can be more easily assembled and disassembled.

Another object is to provide a more advantageous arrangement of thesprocket chain drive elements and to make these elements more easilyaccessible. Another object is to make the rolls easily removable whileconnected by the chain drive and to allow their assembly as a unit.

Another object is to provide a structure by which a single roll or bothrolls can be removed from either side of the cabinet and to providemeans by which the rolls can be held in horizontal position at one endonly while their bearings are disconnected at the opposite end. Thearrangement is such that when a bearing plate at one end of the rolls isdisconnected the rolls are solely held in their substantially trueposition by the bearings at their opposite ends.

Another object is to provide a structure in which the rolls can beremoved andreassembled while the cabinet is on the wall.

Another object of the invention is to closely group the sprocket chaindrive and stop mechanism, to facilitate assemblyand disassembly. Anotherobject is to provide simple means for assembling and disassembling oneelement of a stop mechanism for one of the rolls so that this elementcan be quickly removed, and when removed will permit quick removal ofthe bearing` plate with the remainder of the stop mechanism. thereon toexpose the drive mechanism for inspection or to permitwithd'rawal ofeither roll or of both rolls while connected with the sprocket chainVdrive elements.

Another object of the' invention is to provide removable plates whichnot only supply bearings for the rolls, but. also supply support for anelement which separates the clean from the soiled toweling in a cabinetof the so-called continuous type.

Another object is te make alll parts of the dispensing mechanism easilyreleasable.

Heretofore in towel dispensing cabinets of the type known as continuous,it has been the practice to mount the rolls on an inner unit and betweena pair of upright plates, and this unit was adapted to be disconnectedfrom an outer casing. In such prior cabinets the chain drive element wasarranged at that side of the cabinet opposite to the side on which stopmechanism was arranged. Moreover, it was necessary to dismantle theinner unit to take out the rolls. It is ard,Y lill., assigner to SaltLake City, Utah,

therefore an object of this invention to arrange the drive and the stoplmechanisms on one and thesame side andV therefore immediately adjacentone another, and provide means whereby the two mechanisms can beassembled or disassembled while the cabinet is on the wallv and withoutremoval of the inner unit. This object is accomplished inpart byproviding a, one-piece cover which when infully openv positiongivesdirect and easy accessV to the outer side of the uprightmechanism-supporting plates of the cabinet, and therefore gives directaccess to any mechanism' which is onthe outer sides of either uprightplate, and to the fastening devices of such mechanisms. l

Objects of the invention also are: To provid'ean improved cabinetstructure which is cheap and which canbe easily assembled anddisassembled while the cabinet is onI the wall; to provide for quickaccess to the stop' mechanism and for the removal ofthe same; to providefor quick assembly or disassembly of the measuring roll or of measuringand soiled towel takeup rolls, or of the stop mechanism, or of atime-stop mechanism while the cabinet is on the wall.

Features, objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out inthe description of the drawings,. and' in said drawings'- Y Fig. 1 is aside elevation of one side of the inner section showing the removablebearing plate in relation to the opening through which the rolls can bewithdrawn, and: showing` how the stop' mechanism is' mounted on,`supported by and-- removable with said plate; and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2'2I of Fig. 1.

The invention has been. illustrated as applied to a cabinet' of thecontinuous type" andl that phase of the invention which relates tothecliain drive of' two rolls is directed particularly to a cabinet ofthat type; However, that phase of the invention which relates to the useof an easily removable bearing plate or to easily removable bearingplates, and to the attachmentof one element of` the stop mechanism tothe roll', can be used for paper dispensingl cabinets, as well as clothdispensing cabinets like that herein illustrated.

In the drawings the numerall I indicatesv the back platel of theinner orwall section of the cabinet, and this back' plate" has openings (notshownl by which the cabinet canbe hung on fastening devices provided on'the wall. The back plate is suitably stiiiened' byV vertical anges 2and'by a top ange' 3, the' vertical iianges'actingv 3 as inclined planesadapted to guide the rear portions of the sides 4 of the cover generallyindicated at 5.

This cover is pivoted as shown at 8 to the forward edge of a bottomplate 9 of the inner section and the cover is adapted to enclose theinner section on ve sides, that is, at the bottom, top, front and sides.The plate 9 projects laterally at opposite sides of upright plates I5,I6 as at IQ, and to the top surface of each pro- Jecting portion issecured one flange il of an 'angle iron, the other ange I2 of which isdetachably secured to the outer face of the corresponding plate byscrews I3. Thus, the plate 9 is detachable and lies beneath the loweredges of plates I5 and I6, and a bottom of the inner section, and abottom of the cover cooperate to form the total bottom for the cabinet.In Fig. l the covei` is shown in its open position and a dot-and-dashline indicates the closed position of the cover, While the cover isshown in full lines in its closed position in Fig. 2.

Upright plates I5, I 6 are rigidly attached to the back plate I as byWelding. On these upright plates are supported all of the dispensingmechanism. Each of the plates I5 and I6 has an elongated opening thereinand these openings are respectively indicated at I1 and I8. Theseopenings may be of any suitable size or shape, just as the plates thatcover them may be. These openings are covered by bearing platesrespectively indicated I9 and 20. These plates are arranged at theoutside of upright plates I5 and I6, so that they are removable from theoutside when the cover 5 is in the full-line position of Fig. l. Eachplate is secured by a device or devices which can be quickly and easilydetached. In this case nuts and bolts are used, the heads of the boltsbeing at the inner side. These devices are indicated by the numeral 25.When the cover is fully open, all fastening devices are easilyaccessible.

Each plate has, in this embodiment, two bearings indicated at 26, al1bearings being substantially identical in structure and having linerswhich are held in inwardly punched tubular portions of the plates. Oneor more bearings may be used. Journaled in these bearings is a measuringroll 21 and a soiled towel takeup drive roll 28. The roll 21 hastrunnions 3i) and the roll 28 has trunnions 3| and 32. All trunnions areheld in substantially the same way, nonrotatably in their rolls, in thisinstance by means of a cross-pin 34, the trunnion being inserted in anopening 35 at the end of the roll, as best shown in Fig. 2. Thetrunnions can be detached by axial motion from their bearings, and theplates I9 and 20 can be detached by axial motion from the trunnions.

The rolls are of the same diameter and are driven at the same rate ofrotation by a sprocket chain. The position of this chain is new in thisart. It is arranged between the plate 25 and the ends of the rolls 21and 2S, and in opposition to the opening I1. The length of the openingI1 is greater than the overall length of the chain and the sprocketgears. One sprocket gear is indicated at 31 and the opposite one 38, andthe chain is indicated 39. Both sprocket gears are nonrotatablyconnected to their trunnions SI and 39 by means of a cross-pin 40.

It is a feature of the invention that the bearing plates I 9 and 20, inaddition to supporting the rolls, also support a bar 42 about whichswings a plate 43 which separates the clean toweling on the usual pinchroll 44 (see Fig. 1) from the soiled toweling on the soiled towel roll45. This plate 43 normally rests, during operation of the cabinet, ontop of the toweling which is passing over the pinch roll and the pinchroll engages against toweling which is on the measuring roll 21. Thispinch roll has trunnions 45 which are arranged in suitable slots of theplates I5 and I6. The bar 42 is detachably held by suitable nutsdisposed at the outside of the plates I9 and 20. Thus, when the bar 42is supported by the plates and it is desired to remove the plates I9 and20, all that is necessary is to remove one of the nuts 5D and remove thefastening devices 25, and the plate can be moved in an axial direction,leaving the rolls held by their opposite bearings in the oppositeupright plate or in the opposite bearing plate.

In case of the plate I9, if it is desired to inspect the sprocket chaindrive mechanism, this can easily be done by removing the plate. Therolls 21 and 428 will remain in substantially horizontal position heldby their opposite trunnions in the plate 20, and then if desired the tworolls with the cha-in drive intact can be removed through the openingI1, such movement disconnecting the opposite trunnions from the plate20.

Another feature of the invention is that the stop mechanism is on theplate I9 and near the sprocket chain drive. It is also a feature of thisinvention that the stop mechanism is attached to either the roll 21 or28 and that it is applied at the same side as the drive chain 39. Thearrangement by which one element of this stop mechanism is detachablyconnected to the corresponding trunnion is also a feature of thisinvention. The stop mechanism per se is not claimed herein but it is afeature of the invention that said stop mechanism can be mounted in parton the plate I9 or on the plate which closes the opening to which thechain drive is opposed.

The stop mechanism shown is of the same type shown in Grunwald Patent2,175,192. This mechanism comprises a disk (see Fig. 2) sey cured on areduced squared portion 55 of trunnion 3| A trunnion of the same type astrunnion 3l may be used on measuring roll 21. The disk 55 is heldagainst a shoulder 51 by means of a washer 58, in turn secured by ascrew 59 which is threaded into the trunnion. This is a very simpledevice and can be easily and quickly released to allow removal of thedisk 55, and of the plate I9. This stop mechanism functionallyrepresents a form of stop which automatically releases when a pull onthe toweling ceases. It will be understood, however, that any form ofstop mechanism or time-stop mechanism can be mounted on the plate, andthat the bearing plate can be enlarged or shaped diierently from thatshown. The point is that after release of one element of the stopmechanism and release of the fastening devices of the plate I9, theWhole plate with its stop mechanism may be easily removed, leaving therolls connected by the chain drive, in their original position. Thus,the stop mechanism can be easily removed for adjustment or repair.

The disk 55 has a pin 60 and also a peripheral projection or segment 6Iwhich provides .at one end a stop shoulder 62 and at the opposite end astop shoulder 63. The segment 6I acts to swing a pivotal stop 65 about apivot 61 which is carried by the plate I9 so that a shoulder 69 of thestop 66 lies in the path of the shoulder 63 of the segment 6I. Y

In the figure the stop is shown in open position, at which position itfalls by gravity as soon as the user ceases pulling on the toweling. Thekicking action by the segment El is obtained as a result of rapidmotion, in this instance of the takeup drive roll as operated throughthe sprocket chain connection by means of the measuring roll 2l. Inorder to assure release of the stop 66 after the shoulders 63 and 89have engaged, a spring is provided for reversing the rotation of theroll 28 to move the pin 60 in anticlockwise direction to the positionshown and against a shoulder 'I8 of a gravity-operable pawl 'H pivotedas at 12 to an extension 13 of the plate I9. The lower part of this pawlis enlarged as at 'M to automatically move toward the left in the iigureto assume the position shown. Motion of the pawl H to the right islimited by a stop 76 struck from extension 13.

The rotation of the roll 28 is reversed by means of a disk TI secured tothe squared terminal of trunnion 32 as shown in Fig. 2. The disk 'l1 isheld by means of a washer 18 and screw 1'9 threaded into the trunnion32. This disk 'H has a link 8G pivoted thereto as at 8| and the oppositeend of the link has a spring 82 attached thereto, the far end of thespring being attached to a pin 83.

Where the back-ofi spring 82 is arranged as shown in Grunwald 2,175,192,that is when it is directly attached to disk 55 instead of to a disk Tlat the outer side of plate 20, it is only necessary to remove the screwwhich attaches the link, or to remove the screw 59, before the plate 1.9is

removed.

Although in Fig. 2 I have shown a bearing plate 2u on the opposite side,it will be understood that the trunnions may have direct bearing in theside plate I6 without the use of an opening. Itis, however', much moreadvantageous to use an opening Il or I8 in each of the upright platesand to use two bearing plates I9, 20 to close these openings. The broadgist of the invention is the use of a bearing plate in conjunction withan opening which will allow the simultaneous or separate withdrawal ofthe rolls after the plate is removed, and to provide simple means bywhich disconnection of one element of the stop allows the plate with theother elements of the stop to be removed.

Insoiar as I am aware, no wall type cabinet has been made in which themeasuring roll and/or the stop mechanism could be easily removed fromthe cabinet while the cabinet is on the wall, nor in which a journalplate for the roll or rolls can be disconnected therefrom by simpleoutward motion resulting in the uncovering of an opening through whicheither one or both rolls can separately or simultaneously be drawn andin which rolls which are intergeared can be withdrawn withoutdisconnecting the gearing, or withoutl disconnecting one of the uprightplates.

In Fig. l the position of the closed cover has been shown bydot-and-dash lines, It will be understood that the cover has a suitablelockable latching means and that the cover also has a horizontal slotlying above the towel-spacer element 6. The towel passes from a pinchroll downwardly and outwardly through the slot and downwardly in frontof and against the element 6, which element spaces the towelingforwardly from the iront face of the cover to facilitate grasping. Thetoweling forms a loop below the cabinet and passes upwardly through anopen- 6 ing in the bottom of the cabinet and is connected to the takeup4roll 45.

What I claim is:

1. A towel dispensing cabinet which'has first and second upright plates,between which; are a measuring roll, a soiled towel takeup drive rolland a partition to separate toweling material when on the rolls, saidrolls and partition having trunnions, an opening in the rstplate throughwhich the rolls and partition can be withdrawn, and a bearingplatecovering said opening and disposed at the outer side of the first plateand operatively supporting one trunnion of each roll and of saidpartition in a manner to permit their detachment by axial motion, theopposite trum nion of each roll and of said partition being op,eratively supported in the second plate to permit detachment by axialmotion, and easily releasable means accessible from the outer side .ofthe first upright plate and detachably securing the bearT ing plate tothe first upright plate.

2. A towel dispensing cabinet which has ,upright plates, between whichare a measuring roll, a soiled towel takeup drive roll and a partitionto separate toweling material when on the rolls, said rolls andpartition having trunnions, an opening in each plate through either ofwhich the rolls and partition can be withdrawn, and a bearF ing platebridging each opening and disposed at the outer side of thecorresponding upright plate and operatively supporting trunnions ofsaid. rolls and partition in a manner to permit their detachment byaxial motion, and easily releasable means accessible from the outer sideof the upright plates and detachably securing the bearing plates to theVupright plates.

3. A device of the class described comprising, a pair of spaced uprightplates, each having an opening, a pair of rolls extending between theplates and capable of axial withdrawal through either opening, journalplates, one for each opening and disposed at the outer side of theupright plates, means detachably securing each journal plate to itsupright plate over the opening, each plate having means in which therolls are journaled, said means being adapted for detachment by axialmotion of the plates or of the rolls, whereby after removal of one ofthe plates the rolls can be removed through the corresponding opening,and a stop mechanism carried on and at the outside of one of the platesand having a driving connection with one of said rolls which is adaptedto be broken as a result of outward motion of the plate.

4. A device of the class described comprising, a pair of spaced uprightplates, one plate having an opening, a pair of rolls extending betweenthe plates, means by which the rolls are driven in unison, the saidmeans being disposed between the ends of the rolls and the inner side ofthat upright plate which has the opening, the size of the opening beingsuch that said rolls while conneoted by said driving means can bewithdrawn or introduced by axial motion through the opening, a journalplate at the outer side of the upright plate and opposed to the openingand having combined sighting and bearing openings therethrough, andmeans detachably securing the plate to the corresponding upright plate,each roll having trunnions respectively rotatable in one upright plateand in a sighting opening of the journal plate so that after release ofsaid detachable securing means said journal plate can by simple outwardmotion be detached from the trunnions.

5. A dispensing cabinet including, a'pair of upright plates, one havingan opening, a roll adapted to be passed through the opening and mountedon and between the plates and having one trunnion in a bearing of one ofthe plates and one trunnion passing through the opening of the otherplate, a bearing plate at the outer side of the upright plate andcovering the opening, said roll having a trunnion in a bearing of saidbearing plate, which trunnion projects at the outer side of said plate,a stop mechanism entirely carried on the outer side of said bearingplate with the exception of a stop element which is nonrotatably securedto the outer end of said projecting part of the trunnion by easilyreleasable means, and means releasably securing the bearing plate to theupright plate.

6. A dispensing cabinet including, a pair of upright plates, one havingan opening, a pair of rolls arranged between the plates, each having onetrunnion in a bearing of one of the plates and one trunnion passingthrough the opening of the other plate, a sprocket chain drive meansconnecting those two trunnions which project through the opening, abearing plate in which said two trunnions are journaled disposed at theouter side of said other upright plate and opposed to the opening, saidrolls while connected with their drive means being adapted to bewithdrawn through said opening, one of the trunnions in the bearingplate projecting at the outer side of sai-d plate, and a stop mechanismentirely carried on the outer side of said bearing plate, with theexception of a stop element which is nonrotatably secured to the outerend of said projecting trunnion by easily releasable means, and meansreleasably securing the bearing plate to said other upright plate.

8 e 7. A device of the class described comprising, rst and secondupright plates, a pair of rolls extending between the plates androtatably journaled in the second plate, means carried by the rolls todrive them in unison, the said driving means being disposed between theends of the rolls and the inner side of the rst plate, said first platehaving an opening through which both rolls can be withdrawn orintroduced by axial motion while connecting with said driving means, ajournal plate at the outer side of said rst plate and opposed to saidopening, and having two ccmbined sighting and bearing openingstherethrough, and means detachably securing the plate to the rst plate,each roll having a trunnion rotatable in a sighting opening, so thatafter release of said detachable securing means said journal plate canby simple outward axial motion be detached from the trunnions, wherebyduring assembly the ends of the trunnions can be viewed through saidsighting openings to facilitate registration of the trunnions with theirbearing openings.

RUDOLPH G. BIRR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,735,514 Steiner Nov. 12, 19291,803,363 Steiner May 5, 1931 2,367,202 Cooper Jan. 16, 1945 2,378,789Pulver June 19, 1945 1,756,928 Steiner Apr. 29, 1930 1,976,087 OverholtOct. 9, 1934

